More Adventure Of The Frogsloth today!
Dear Diary,
We have reached land. Swampy land, yes, but land nonetheless.
Lieutenant has climbed a tree in hopes of finding branches dry enough to make a fire, and I find myself alone.
The sounds of insects and frogs echo from everywhere, but no signs of a Frogsloth are visible at the moment. The nearby water is dark and murky, so that anything just under the surface would be nearly impossible to see coming.
A bundle of sticks just fell at my feet, making me jump. Lieutenant is descending the tree, climbing upside-down.
"Quit scribbling in that book and help me set up camp, lazybones."
LATER
I built a fire, unfortunately at the cost of my whiskers. An incident involving methane swamp gas... It was a close call. (Note to self; take lessons in swampland survival.)
Apparently, Lieutenant has decided he "can't turn his back on me for one minute". Haven't got the faintest clue why.
We sat on either side of the campfire, roasting hot dogs for supper. I didn't know what was in them, and was not about to ask. Lieutenant was looking at me with a tiny, lopsided smile on his face.
"What is it?" I asked.
"You look funny without whiskers," he said.
"Oh yeah? How about now?" I scrunched up my snout and crossed my eyes wildly.
"Probably about the same as this." He stuck out his tongue and flapped his giant ears as I cracked up.
Behind me, I heard a snapping sound. The smile dropped off my face as I turned around and saw a dim blob of a figure in the gray-green foliage. Taking a burning branch that stuck out of the fire, I stood, trying to look tall.
"What are you doing? It could be the Frogsloth!"
I shook my head at the Koala. "That didn't move anything like a Sloth." I stepped closer to the spot where I had seen the figure.
We heard the squelching sound of footsteps retreating on the marshy ground. I reached the spot where the intruder had been.
The torchlight shone down on a print in the mud.
A print with not three long claws, but four round toes.
I must close this journal now and sleep, if I can. One thing you quickly find out when camping with Lieutenant, is that he snores. Loudly. Maybe that's his name, Lieutenant Loudbeast.
Shoulda thought to bring earplugs...
(DXplorergirl)
Dear Diary,
The day after our mysterious visitor watched us, Lieutenant and I reached a wooded area with a pond in front of it.
The air above the stagnant water teemed with every kind of insect life, and leafy trees were visible in every direction. It seemed like an ideal habitat for one of nature's strangest hybrids.
Lieutenant took off the pack on his back and dug into it, pulling out two Camouflage Jackets.
"Put this on," he whispered.
I looked at it sideways, scrunching my nose.
"Camo is not my color."
He looked at me as if to say, Do you want to find the Frogsloth or not?
I grabbed the jacket and yanked it over my (formerly) white, mud-smeared Princess Dress. We'd be hidden fairly well, considering that both of us looked like the bottom of that pond.
Lieutenant grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into the shrubbery. We sat there for a long time, staying absolutely quiet. I shifted a little.
"Stay still," Lieutenant whispered.
I fidgeted nervously. Nature was calling.
"What is wrong with you?" He was getting annoyed.
"I gotta-- "
"Well?"
"You know..."
"What?"
"Go."
"We're not leaving here until we find the Frogsloth!"
"Not that kinda go! Just-- grrrr." Why did everything with that guy have to be so frustrating? "I'll be back."
I scooted off through the underbrush, Lieutenant whispering furiously,
"Hey! Where are you going? Get back here!"
I barged through the foliage, brushing through leaves, stepping on twigs, and generally sounding like an Elephant rushing to a peanuts-half-off sale. In my rush to get to a suitable bathroom spot, I stumbled over a partially exposed root.
Recovering my balance, I realized I was standing near the edge of the water. And there, staring at me with two startled eyes, was the Frogsloth.
'Till next time, Diary!
(DXplorergirl)
O o O
ReplyDeleteEKKK!
KTB